Matthew 17:20

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." - Matthew 17:20 (New King James Version)

Whether you're religious or not, I think most people can agree the hardest part about having faith is having faith.  The most interesting aspect about this passage to me is the size of "a mustard seed."   Look at how big this is:

I know when I'm having a tough time, it's hard for me to muster up any amount of faith, even this small.  Maybe that's the point of the passage.  Any faith, even this big, is enough to move mountains.  Notice I said move mountains...not hope or wish they'll move, but to stand with confidence and say "move from here to there, and it will move."  How many times have you attempted something so risky, so out there, so off-the-wall, you figured there was no way possible you could do it?  And after digging into the depths of your soul, you decided to step out on faith, knowing it would be done.

Stepping out on faith...I think of it like being blindfolded and brought to the edge of a canyon.  You hope there's a bridge, but you don't know what - if anything- is actually there to support you.  Believing can be a gut-wrenching process.  Sometimes we try and fail; sometimes we succeed beyond our expectations.  It's all about finding that itty bitty seed of faith to allow us to try.

image from istockphoto